


Christmas Lights

by orphan_account



Category: Family Guy (Cartoon)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, I don't know what else to tag, Wholesome, brian is more of a father figure though, lots of cute dialogue if I do say so myself, mcdonalds, mlp mention, plot what plot as in I'm not good at coming up with plots and just needed an excuse to write my boys, stewie has a clear unrequited crush on brian, strip club later on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-02-27 22:02:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18747979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: It starts like this, inconspicuously. It's the day before Christmas Eve and the Griffin family goes to the mall to buy last minute presents.What happens next will test their christmas spirit.





	Christmas Lights

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not a native english speaker OR good at plotting in any way shape or form but I still hope you can appreciate what I've cooked up.  
> It's also very self indulgent, like, a lot.

Stewie plugged the christmas tree lights in.

«FINALLY!» He shouted, frantically jumping up and down then inspecting the tree while going around it, finally stopping to stare at the myriads of presents beneath it «just ONE last lousy day and you'll all be MINE!! MUAHAHA» he grabbed one and tried to guess what was in it by knocking on it, then shaking it.

«H-Hey be careful with that! You're gonna break it!» reprimanded Brian swiftly by placing a steady hand on his shoulder, while the other hand was busy.

He couldn't help but smile, seeing Stewie so excited always warmed his heart.

«Oh come on Bri, what could possibly be in here that would be so fragile anyway.» he then freezed, eyes widening «An Ipad?!» he squeezed Brian's hand without noticing.

«N-No I...» he paused, thinking «I don't know, actually. But let's not take a chance, you know.»

«An Ipad...» murmured Stewie again, eyes locked on the present and a shifty grin on his face.

 

Peter entered the living room with an annoyed expression and walking fast, followed immediately by Lois.

«Do I really have to come?» He whined.

«Yeah, you do! I need you to help me pick the presents! No way you're staying home lazing again!» Protested Lois, looking particularly stressed.

Her gaze stumbled upon Stewie and then Brian.

«Did you get all the things for the baby?» she asked hurriedly.

Brian visibly and determinedly nodded, taking a mental note of his busy paw, then turning around to face the Griffin baby with a surprisingly calm expression.

«Yeah, speaking of which...» with that he got a better hold of the little jacket he had previously gotten from Stewie's room under Lois' request, and that he had been carrying in his arm all day «C'mere kid, let's get you ready to go out.».

Stewie reached with his arms as he kept his sparkly eyes and full smile on the present from before, allowing Brian to dress him.

He then turned so that the dog could button it, taking advantage of this position to look into the dog's eyes as Brian secured the wool hat on his big head, patting it soundly once he was done.

Stewie blushed slightly but Brian didn't seem to notice.

The kid groaned «I can't believe we have to go out to buy presents the day before Christmas Eve of all days» he frustratedly kicked the air «Lois is a good for nothing absentminded wench, I tell you.»

«Well, come on at least I heard they built some rides at the mall. I could take you, what do you think?»

Stewie's eyes immediately lit up.

He nodded eagerly.

«Good boy.» Brian smiled and patted Stewie's head again.

Meg rushed down the stairs, fixing her scarf all the while.

«Who are these presents even for! We already got ours!» she lamented, placing her hands on her hips, peeved.

Lois murderously stared at her.

«If you had paid attention to what I said before...» she began, exasperated «you'd know they're for my parents. And Peter's friends too, since he forgot as well.» she sighed.

Stewie poked Brian with his elbow and whispered «even worse, they're both inepts.».

«MOOOOOMMM» yelled Chris coming from upstairs as well «IT'S FREEZING OUT, THIS JACKET DOESN'T WORK» he wailed.

Lois massaged the bridge of her nose, completely ignoring him.

«Everyone ready?» she growled trying to fake calmness.

The family nodded, intimidated.

Stewie shyly got ahold of Brian's hand.

 

The mall was huge and colorfully lit and sparkly everywhere. Giant shop signs left and right reflected onto the shiny floors with square tiles.

Right down in the back you could spot a train ride, two videogame cabinets, one for a shooting game and one for smaller kids, with animals plastered all over it, and right in the center one of those rides that goes high up so people can see the entire mall.

On the right, a McDonald's.

As soon as Stewie saw that, he sprinted forward, yanking Brian and almost making him fall.

Brian's resistance to let go of him made him grow impatient.

«Let's go LET'S GO COME ON» he insisted, moving up and down excitedly.

Brian glanced at him and then the whole family, and finally he breathed.

«Hey Peter» the dog approached him «do you mind if I take Stewie to the rides? He's gonna nag me all day if I don't.»

Hearing that remark Stewie frowned, but stayed silent.

Peter distractedly waved yes at him while gazing at the store windows.

«Yeah yeah just make sure you meet us back in front of the Mc.» murmured «Hey Lois can we buy that?»

The woman sighed.

«Peter, focus, we came here to buy just presents, we don't have the money for that. God why did I even bring you along...»

The man huffed noisily.

 

«Finally, alone at last.» declared Stewie carelessly «that maddening minger was starting to get on my nerves.»

He locked Brian into an embrace, but as soon as he remembered what the dog said he stiffened.

«So… what do you wanna do first?» Brian asked hesitantly.

No response.

He turned his head to him «Stewie?».

«You don't really think I'm naggy, do you?»

Brian blinked, caught off guard «What?».

The kid sternly repeated the question.

«Y-You mean what I said to Peter just now? No no, that was just... an excuse so he'd say yes. Of course not.»

Stewie stopped to think, frowning, then finally relaxed.

«Ah, good» he chuckled «Anyway I wanna go on the tall one. You're coming with me, right?»

«Yeah, sure. I'm responsible for you so I couldn't let you go alone even if I wanted.»

The kid smirked slyly.

 

At sundown everyone reunited at McDonald's as planned.

Stewie was resting his head, hidden by his arms, on the table outside, completely exhausted.

It wasn't clear if he was sleeping, but he was breathing heavily.

Brian tensely approached the parents who had just come.

«So, got everything you needed?» he asked as an ice breaker.

Peter lifted his arms to show two heavy-looking bags full of stuff.

«Yet Lois won't carry a thing.»

The dog cackled to hide his discomfort.

«Well, at least the worst is over.» Brian commented to alleviate the tension.

Lois sat near the baby and lovingly patted his back.

He growled, irked.

«Get your hands off of me, woman.» he murmured, his voice muffled.

When he finally lifted his head he looked positively terrible, bags under his eyes, unkempt hair and piercing stare.

«I'm undoubtedly not adult enough to be able to withstand an entire day out» he continued with a pinch of irony in his tone, and with a hoarse voice.

Brian sat in front of him, with Peter following suit at his right.

Chris and Meg went to order for the whole family.

«You don't look so good...» whispered Brian.

«At least I only look bad when I'm tired.» hissed Stewie with a menacing stare.

Brian sighed.

 

An eternity later the two brothers came back with two full trays.

Chris swiftly placed a Happy Meal for girls in front of Stewie like it was nothing and sat down.

The kid glared at it skeptically, waiting for some punchline, but when nothing happened he breathed a sigh of relief.

He didn't really care, he thought, and in that period the girl toys were better anyway.

He stared intently at Twilight Sparkle's big purple eyes on the box as if he were waiting for her to speak.

«Aren't you hungry?» Brian asked with a genuinely worried tone, holding his own Big Mac burger in his hands, about to bite on it.

«I'm just tired, Bri. Really, really tired.» he breathed «do you mind if I sit beside you?»

Brian shrugged and shook his head.

The kid slowly got up and sat right next to the dog.

He sluggishly grabbed his toast and lazily took a bite, all the while observing the toy surprise he got.

A small pink pony with a brushable mane.

He thought about how lucky it was that he found exactly his favorite.

So lucky.

 

Brian took one last bite and then glanced around to see that everyone else had finished eating as well.

The weight he has had to endure on his left arm for a couple hours now finally getting to him, not to mention the warm steady breathing that was ruffling his white fur.

He didn't quite know when it happened, but Stewie had laid his head down on him, and fallen fast asleep.

The thought of that made him smile.

 

«Brian, could you be a dear and load Stewie into the car?» Lois asked with her typically nasal voice «I swear my back is killing me, I'm not as strong as I used to be.»

Peter snickered behind her «Ooh so that's why you made me carry all the bags.».

She puffed.

Brian's tail started wagging in excitement «Sure, leave it to me.»

 

That's what he had said.

But now, looking at that sleeping - and very heavy-looking - baby, he wasn't so sure anymore.

Would he have been able to carry him without waking him up?

He lifted one of his small arms, then the other, both as lifeless as a corpse's, and miraculously he found himself holding him.

A step, then another.

Slowly and carefully, but still feeling pressed into the ground by the weight.

He was doing his best to go forward, making sure not to wake Stewie, and despite how difficult it proved to be he managed to find a pace.

Still holding the child he sat in the seat behind, by the window, Chris and Meg at his right.

Stewie was still sleeping soundly.

«Phew...» breathed Brian, fixing his position.

Suddenly, the baby yawned.

«Are we there yet, Bri…?» he mumbled with his eyes closed.

«We're about to go, stay strong buddy. Are you comfortable?» he asked him with a soothing voice, stroking his arm reassuringly.

No answer, just a faint snore.

_ Well, maybe he talks in his sleep… _ Brian thought to himself.

 

The car felt silent, besides the sound of the wheels on the asphalt in the background lulling Brian.

It didn't help that his ears were plugged and he was about to pass out from sleepiness.

Everything felt distant and ethereal. Calm.

He torpidly placed his head on his hand, leaning towards the closed glass window, and stared at the street lights as they reflected onto the wet road beneath him, passing by, rhythmically.

Drowsiness.

 

When the car suddenly stopped, jolting Brian awake, he noticed with disappointment that he had not been able to resist falling asleep.

His heart beating frantically in his throat, he stopped in his tracks, panting, then looked outside the window.

He saw his house's silhouette, but something was wrong.


End file.
